1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to removable shutters, protective panels and screens for building openings such as windows and doors which afford protection against wind and flying object damage during storms and hurricanes, and more particularly to a storm and hurricane protection screening material marketed in bulk rolls and a system incorporating cut sections of the screening material in combination with unique buckles which anchor the selectively cut material over a building opening.
2. Description of Related Art
Tropical storms, tornadoes and hurricanes are wrecking increasing amounts of havoc on building property, perhaps due to the increasing frequency of such storms and an increased building population closer to water and being in harm's way of a tropical storm or hurricane. Considerable effort and expense has now gone into providing a broad variety of removable apparatus which are designed to afford enhanced levels of protection against building damage in the face of high winds and flying objects which are carried in high velocity airborne fashion and are capable of inflicting substantial damage, particularly to the building openings such as doors and windows. However, many of these protective apparatus are bulky, difficult to install, remove and store, complex and expensive and may not truly afford a level of building window and door protection anticipated therefrom. One example is in the form of custom hurricane screens which are specially adapted and reinforced for each building opening.
U.S. Patent Application Publication 2008/0120916 to Borona et al. discloses a method of constructing a fabric storm protection cover according to the size of the opening to be covered and the construction parameters of the building. Fabric storm coverings for building openings are taught by Hudoba et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 6,851,464, U.S. Pat. No. 6,886,300 and U.S. Application Publication 2004/0154242.
Mullet et al. teaches a method and apparatus for manufacturing a flexible three-ply windlocking curtain in U.S. Pat. No. 6,824,637. A hurricane screen attachment system is disclosed by DeBoth in U.S. Patent Application Publication 2007/0193137.
U.S. Patent Application Publications 2007/0227083 and 2007/0227084 to Skobba disclose removable, flexible storm shutters for windows and doors. A combined sun screen and storm window is taught by Hedstrom et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,781,235.
Wrono teaches a roll-up slatted shade assembly in U.S. Pat. No. 3,732,913. U.S. Pat. No. 6,658,801 to Kilduff et al. discloses a portable fire curtain system to prevent wind from blowing through building openings.
An exterior covering for protecting wall openings from wind and rain damage and burglary is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,341,455 to Gunn. Gower discloses a flexible wind abatement device in U.S. Pat. No. 6,865,852.
U.S. Patent Application Publication 2002/0162287 to Bork et al. discloses a building closure for temporarily closing a wall opening. Flexible wind abatement devices are taught by Gower in U.S. Pat. No. 6,176,050 and U.S. Application Publication 2007/0204533.
Motro teaches a storm panel formed of a film material in U.S. Patent Application Publication 2003/0159372. U.S. Pat. No. 6,263,949 to Guthrie, Jr. discloses a hurricane resistant screen assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,502,355 to Bori discloses a storm cover mounted directly onto an exterior glass surface such as a glass window or glass door for protecting the glass from impact by wind driven objects.
The present invention overcomes many of the disadvantages of the above prior art by providing an affordable, easily installable storm and hurricane protection screening which is easily adaptable to a broad range of building opening sizes while affording a high level of building protection by strenuously resisting penetration therethrough by flying objects during such tropical storms and hurricanes. Commercially available in roll form, the protective screening may be easily cut to both length and width to accommodate the size of each building opening without the further need for expensive custom reinforcement of the material thereafter. By providing unique buckles at one or both ends of a plurality of spaced thickened areas formed onto the screening material for added strength, installation and removal is an easy task, along with storage of each of the screening material when not in use. Substantial economy is realized by marketing the product in bulk roll form for easy trimming to fit each opening.
The foregoing examples of the related art and limitations related therewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related art will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the specification and a study of the drawings.